The day of reckoning has come to NCAA basketball

[Stryker]

The NCAA tournament is almost all chalk in the S16 this year. The highest seeds still in the tournament are an 11 seed NC State and a 6 seed Clemson. It is just the fifth time in tournament history that all 1 & 2 seeds made the S16. In addition two 3, 4, & 5 seeds are in the S16 as well. In fact, 14 of the 16 teams in the S16 are from power conferences and the remaining two teams (San Diego State & Gonzaga) are the runner up from last year and the other, one of the most successful basketball programs in the country over the last 20+ years.

There is no cinderella in the S16 this year despite what people say about NC State, IMO.

I believe this is the turning point to a new era post-NIL and transfer rules. The tournament will become more chalky in the future. The mid-majors had a strong run post-COVID as the eligibility rules allowed for older rosters which propelled the mid-majors to stronger performances. However, the impact of the extra COVID year has run its course. The new transfer rules will no longer be balanced by having older rosters across the country.

In other words, college basketball appears to be on the verge of becoming very top-heavy. Many top players that were at mid-major schools contributed a great deal to power teams this year after transferring in. It wasn't just Domask, Jones, Mast, etc. There were many more. This is going to continue at a heavy level in the future.

In addition, I do think that mid-majors will be able to continue to put good teams on the floor, but they will be hampered by poor roster depth. This was one of the major weaknesses with Bradley this year, and I believe it will be more of a challenge for many mid-majors going forward as decent bench talent will be hard to come by.

It appears this year is the turning point, and it feels like it may become much more difficult for non-power teams to make the S16 in the future.

[CarolinaBrave]

I don't disagree with anything you've said here but the solution is completely in the hands of the schools if they really want to change it. Start offering 4 year scholarships instead of 1 year. This locks players in for 4 years but also puts the school on the hook for 4 years as well. Schools had their way for so long it's time for more equality.

[bradleyfan124]

I don't disagree with anything you've said here but the solution is completely in the hands of the schools if they really want to change it. Start offering 4 year scholarships instead of 1 year. This locks players in for 4 years but also puts the school on the hook for 4 years as well. Schools had their way for so long it's time for more equality.

I agree with comment that the solution is in the hands of the schools. There are 363 schools in the NCAA Div. 1,only 82 are from Power 6 Conferences. Assuming one vote per school the other schools need to start taking control of their own destiny

[Stryker]

I agree with comment that the solution is in the hands of the schools. There are 363 schools in the NCAA Div. 1,only 82 are from Power 6 Conferences. Assuming one vote per school the other schools need to start taking control of their own destiny

I think is more complicated than that or else something like that would have been done long ago. If the rest of the schools impose themselves on the power conferences, the power conferences will just leave. They have the trump card, the money, viewers, and talent. Sucks but it is what it is.

I don't disagree with anything you've said here but the solution is completely in the hands of the schools if they really want to change it. Start offering 4 year scholarships instead of 1 year. This locks players in for 4 years but also puts the school on the hook for 4 years as well. Schools had their way for so long it's time for more equality.

I would love to see schools offer multi-year scholarships. Fans and schools always whine and complain about "loyalty", but he schools have never given it. I had to learn this in the work force the hard way. 50 years ago corporations often had more loyalty to their employees, but it is long gone. As an individual we had to learn to either corporately organize against unfair conditions or leave for greener pastures. Now that players have given a bit of that power, the schools need to adjust and change.

[tomahawk chop]

Problem is contracts are broken all the time.